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Bella Bathurst

The Bicycle Book Hardcover – 31 Mar. 2011

by Bella Bathurst (Author)

4.3 64 ratings

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A rip-roaring narrative celebration of the 21st century’s great transport success story: the bicycle. Millions of us now cycle, some obsessively, and this glorious melee of history, contemporary anecdote and lycra-clad pedallers is the perfect read for two-wheelers of all kinds.

Two wheels. A frame. Two pedals. What could be simpler than a bicycle?

And yet the bike--old, and cheap, and slightly comic--continues to inspire a passionate following. Since the millennium, its use in Britain has doubled, and then doubled again. Thousands now cycle to work, and more take it up every day. In trial after trial, it is the bike which reaches its urban destination faster than the car, the bus, the underground or the pedestrian. Self-reliant and straightforward, cycling has recycled itself. It is an antiquated idea, and its time has finally come.

But what is it about the bicycle that so enchants us? And why do its devotees become so obsessed with it?

Acclaimed author Bella Bathurst takes us on a journey through cycling’s best stories and strangest incarnations, from the bicycle as weapon of twentieth-century warfare to the secret life of couriers and the alchemy of framebuilding. With a cast of characters including the woman who watercycled across the Channel, the man who raced India’s Deccan Queen train and several of today’s top cyclists, she offers us a brilliantly engaging portrait of cycling’s past, present and world-conquering future.

The result is a story of passion and obsession, of exultation, endeavour, and risk. Above all, it is the story of partnership between man and machine, perfectly balanced--a story of love and souplesse.

Print length

356 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HarperPress
Publication date

31 Mar. 2011
Dimensions

21.6 x 14 x 3 cm
ISBN-10

0007305885
ISBN-13

978-0007305889
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Product description

Review

"Drat and double drat. I had an idea for a money-making venture. I would write a quick book in praise of cycling... Curses, curses, when I find Bella Bathurst has blown me out of the water with her Bicycle Book, and she has done it beautifully...In Bella Bathurst the bike has found the best and brightest booster so far."--Boris Johnson, Mail on Sunday

"[Bella has a] sharp eye...[and] elegant prose: like a tail wind pressing on your back, it propels the reader through the pages... With The Bicycle Book Bathurst adds her voice to the call that we are now at the dawn of a new golden age of this versatile machine."--Robert Penn, The Observer

"...everything you ever wanted to know about the bike, its history and use"--Sunday Times

"...filling a yawning gap in the market... Bathurst is an ideal observer: someone who is interested in finding out, not showing off. Someone with a keen eye for the ridiculous, but who isn’t supercilious"--Scotsman

"Her joyful freewheel through the world of bicycles and the people who ride them not only affirms her as an elegant chronicler of quirky subjects, but fills a gap in the pantheon of cycling literature... The Bicycle Book is unique in appealing to both cycling nuts and those of us who mean to dust off the flat-tyred two-wheeler"--The Economist

From the Back Cover

Two wheels. A frame. Two pedals. What could be simpler than a bicycle?

And yet the bike – old, and cheap, and slightly comic – continues to inspire a passionate following. Since the millennium its use in Britain has doubled, and then doubled again. Thousands now cycle to work, and more take it up every day. In trial after trial, it is the bike which reaches its urban destination faster than the car, the bus, the underground or the pedestrian. Self-reliant and straightforward, cycling has recycled itself. It is an antiquated idea, and its time has finally come.

But what is it about the bicycle that so enchants us? And why do its devotees become so obsessed with it?

Acclaimed author Bella Bathurst takes us on a journey through cycling's best stories and strangest incarnations, from the bicycle as weapon of twentieth-century warfare to the secret life of couriers and the alchemy of framebuilding. With a cast of characters including the woman who watercycled across the Channel, the man who raced India’s Deccan Queen train and several of today’s top cyclists, she offers us a brilliantly engaging portrait of cycling’s past, present and world-conquering future.

The result is a story of passion and obsession, of exultation, endeavour, and risk. Above all, it is the story of partnership between man and machine, perfectly balanced – a story of love and souplesse.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperPress; First Edition (31 Mar. 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0007305885
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007305889
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 21.6 x 14 x 3 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 1,022,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 897 in Cycling History & Biography
- 2,074 in Road Bikes (Books)
- 28,103 in General Sports, Hobbies & Games

Customer reviews:
4.3 64 ratings

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Crosschops

An energetic romp through geography, history and social dynamism of the bicycle and what it means to us

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 June 2014

Verified Purchase

This is a well written, entertaining and light hearted look at cycling. The books structure takes the reader through frame and design, styles of riding and dress, types of bike and the various historic and geographic influences on the bicycle and our love of it. This isn't a 'technical' manual for cycling better or faster, but rather, it is a meander through our long-term love affair with the bicycle and an exposition of the joy that it brings wherever, whenever and whatever it's form.

A highly entertaining read for cycling enthusiast and those with a causal interest alike.

2 people found this helpful

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soilman999

Made me laugh out loud!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2012

Verified Purchase

This book is full of interesting snippets. I'm a fifty something year old who has recently rediscovered the joy of cycling, along with my wife. I read this cover to cover on a long haul flight and couldn't put it down. It covers a wide range of topics in sufficient detail to give a useful overview. For example, although I have watched the Tour de France on tv on and off, I hadn't really understood the tactics and the background. I especially liked the chapter on how to ride in a city - every word of it resonated with my experiences. But the very best was the section describing different types of cyclists and their attitudes. This book is on my list to give to both of my adult children who also cycle (and who fit two of the types described in the book). I'm sure I'll re-read it.

4 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A set of essays on a common theme rather than a unified text none the worse for that

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2015

Verified Purchase

A very enjoyable and informative read. A set of essays on a common theme rather than a unified text none the worse for that. Odd lapses in research - for example the Three Peaks cycle cross derives from the Yorkshire Three Peaks fell race and not the Ben Nevis etc three peaks - However, compelling to read and contains a wealth of detail. Wellworthbuying.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2014

Verified Purchase

Bought this as a present for a push biking girl friend of mine who does a lot of that cross country stuff. She said that the book is a wonderful read full of interesting history and up to the minute stuff for beginners and bike buffs alike. Recommended

One person found this helpful

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fernqtopaz

bicycle book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 September 2018

Verified Purchase

bought as a gift.

One person found this helpful

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Sally Phillips

I chose this book for my husband who is a kean cyclist.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 December 2013

Verified Purchase

My husband has enjoyed this book because of its unusual insights into the tour de France, its origins and politics. Having read other books by Bella Bathurst he has not been disappointed by her style and unique take on the subject. A good read for someone who does not usually read a lot.

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Dorothy Maud Jenkinson

Fascinating Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 April 2014

Verified Purchase

An extremely readable style and a very wide-ranging look at cycling from many angles. Often amusing and always entertaining. Thoroughly enjoyed it and read it on the recommendation of my brother who is a much more serious cyclist than I am and who is very keen on it.

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Kirky

Disappointing - like a series of long features of variable quality

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 July 2023

I struggled more than I thought I would with this book given my love of cycling and how much I enjoyed the author's book on "The Lighthouse Stevensons".

The book consists of chapters - like long features - on different aspects of cycling, some better than others. I wasn't interested in frame building or cycling legend Graham Obree but did like reading about the origins of the Tour de France and bicycle use in the war. The section on cycle couriers was presented as Q&A interviews which seemed out of context with the rest of the volume. The author does ramble on a little too so I skated over some pages.

For better musings on cycling I recommend My Life on a Bike by Andrew Martin, part of The Essay series on Radio 3, available on BBC Sounds. He cites this The Bicycle Book which is how I came across it.

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The Bicycle Book Hardcover – 31 Mar. 2011

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